Occasionally, Internet Explorer will simply shut down. There’s no visible cause, and the only thing Windows tells you is that Internet Explorer has stopped working. It says it’s “looking for a solution,” but nothing occurs no matter how long you wait.
Surprisingly, this is a quite prevalent issue. However, while it might be aggravating, it is usually not difficult to resolve.
How To Fix Internet Explorer Has Stopped Working
Here are six solutions that have proven to be effective for other users. You don’t have to try all of them; simply work your way down the list until you discover one that works.
All of the screenshots in this article are from Windows 10, however, the solutions are equally applicable to Windows 8.1 and 7.
- Update your video driver
- Disable add-ons
- Uninstall toolbars
- Change your hardware acceleration setting
- Reset your security zones to their default levels
- Reinstall Internet Explorer
Fix 1: Update your video driver
An outdated/corrupted/faulty video driver is probably the most prevalent cause of the ‘Internet Explorer has stopped working‘ problem. As a result, you should upgrade your video driver to see whether this resolves the problem. If you don’t have the time, patience, or computer skills to manually update your drivers, you can use Driver Easy to do it for you.
You don’t need to know what operating system your computer uses, you don’t have to worry about downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t have to worry about making a mistake during installation. Driver Easy handles it all.
1. Download and install Driver Easy on your computer.
2. Run Driver Easy and select Scan Now from the menu. After that, Driver Easy will check your computer for any problematic drivers.
3. To automatically download and install the correct version of ALL missing or out-of-date drivers on your system, click Update All (this requires the Pro version – you’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All).
4. Check if Internet Explorer is working properly after restarting your computer. If the problem persists, proceed to Fix 2 further down.
Fix 2: Disable add-ons
Internet Explorer add-ons are extensions that allow you to accomplish more with your browser or improve your user experience. AdBlock, for example, is an ad-blocking add-on. Extensions can be manually installed or installed by other programs on your computer (hopefully with your permission).
It’s possible that one of your add-ons is broken, or that it interferes with your browser or other add-ons for some reason, resulting in the Internet Explorer has stopped working error.
To see if this is the issue, temporarily disable all of your add-ons and then check to see if Internet Explorer is functioning properly. If that’s the case, one of your add-ons is most likely to blame, and all you have to do now is figure out which one. This is how you do it:
1. Press the Windows logo key and R at the same time on your keyboard, then type inetcpl.cpl and press Enter.
2. Select Programs > Manage Add-ons from the drop-down menu.
3. After that, a list of all your Internet Explorer add-ons will appear. Each add-on in the list can be disabled one at a time by clicking it and then clicking Disable.
4. Check whether Internet Explorer now works after restarting your computer:
- If Internet Explorer works after you disable all of your add-ons, it’s likely that one of them was the issue. Now all you have to do is find out which one it is. To do so, enable the first add-on on the list, then check to see if Internet Explorer is still functional. If it doesn’t, you’ve discovered the source of the issue. If Internet Explorer is working properly after enabling the first add-on, go ahead and enable the second and test it. In this manner, test each add-on until you locate the one that prevents Internet Explorer from working. Disable it once you’ve found it. If you require assistance, contact the seller.
- Move on to Fix 3 if disabling your add-ons doesn’t cure your problem.
Fix 3: Uninstall toolbars
In Internet Explorer, toolbars are similar to add-ons. They offer functionality and improve your browsing experience. One of your toolbars may be malfunctioning or conflicting with your browser or other toolbars, resulting in the Internet Explorer has stopped working issue.
To see if this is the issue, uninstall all third-party browser toolbars briefly and then check if Internet Explorer is running properly. If that’s the case, one of your toolbars is most likely to blame, and all you have to do now is figure out which one. This is how you do it:
1. Click the Windows logo key and R at the same time on your keyboard, then type appwiz.cpl and press Enter.
2. Uninstall/Change each toolbar in your list of programs and features by right-clicking on it.
3. To confirm, click Yes.
4. Check if Internet Explorer now works after restarting your machine.
- If Internet Explorer works after you’ve uninstalled all of your toolbars, it’s likely that one of them was the issue. Now all you have to do is find out which one it is. You can do this by reinstalling one of your original toolbars and then checking if Internet Explorer still works. If it doesn’t, you’ve discovered the source of the issue. Reinstall another toolbar and test again if Internet Explorer works fine after reinstalling it. In this manner, test each toolbar until you locate the one that prevents Internet Explorer from working. Uninstall it once you’ve found it. If you want assistance, please contact the seller.
- If deleting your toolbars does not resolve your issue, proceed to Fix 4.
Fix 4: Change your hardware acceleration setting
Hardware acceleration, sometimes known as GPU rendering, is a new feature in Internet Explorer that allows you to use your GPU to generate all visuals and text. Some computers operate better with it on, while others perform better without it.
It’s possible that the settings you’ve made here are causing Internet Explorer to stop operating. Whether you have hardware acceleration enabled, you should disable it to see if the problem goes away. Also, if you have it switched on, you should turn it off and see what happens.
Here’s how to go about it…
1. Press the Windows logo key and R at the same time on your keyboard, then type inetcpl.cpl and press Enter.
2. Go to Advanced tab, uncheck the Use software rendering instead of GPU rendering checkbox. Click OK.
3. Reboot your system.
After restarting your computer, check to determine whether Internet Explorer is working properly. If this is not the case, proceed to Fix 5 below.
Fix 5: Reset your security zones to their default levels
If you modify Internet Explorer’s security zone settings, or if a program changes them, this can sometimes result in Internet Explorer not working. Resetting your security zones to their default levels may help you solve the problem.
Important: Resetting Internet Explorer’s security zones to their default levels will also reset several cookie-dependent settings. This will remove all pinned tabs, passwords, and add-ons, among other things. It will not, however, impact your bookmarks.
To restore your security zones to their default settings, follow these steps:
1. Press the Windows logo key and R at the same time on your keyboard, then type inetcpl.cpl and press Enter.
2. Next, navigate to Security tab, click on Reset all zones to default level.
3. Click the OK button.
4. Check to determine whether Internet Explorer is working properly after restarting your computer. If the issue still exists, proceed to Fix 6 below.
Fix 6: Reinstall Internet Explorer
If everything else fails and you’re still not ready to give up Internet Explorer, you might want to reinstall it.
Important: When you reinstall Internet Explorer, all of your pinned tabs, passwords, and add-ons will be deleted. It will not, however, impact your bookmarks.
1. Press the Windows logo key and R at the same time on your keyboard, then type appwiz.cpl and press Enter.
2. Next, click Turn Windows features on or off.
3. Remove Internet Explorer from the list (your version of Internet Explorer may be different to the screenshot below).
4. To confirm, click Yes.
5. Wait until Internet Explorer shuts down before clicking OK.
6. Your computer should be restarted.
7. Click the Windows logo key and R at the same time on your keyboard, then type appwiz.cpl and press Enter.
8. Choose Turn Windows features on or off.
9. Select Internet Explorer from the drop-down menu, then click OK.
10. Wait for Internet Explorer to start up.
11. Restart Internet Explorer and check if everything is working properly.
If you’ve any queries, check this video:
How have the solutions listed above aided you in troubleshooting? Do you have any suggestions or ideas for us? Leave a comment section and let us know what you think.
